


Tales of the Tides

by dregstrash, reapersbarge, rulingthecastleonthehill, wafflesandkruge



Category: Six of Crows Series - Leigh Bardugo, The Grisha Trilogy - Leigh Bardugo
Genre: Crack, F/F, F/M, Grishaverse Big Bang 2019, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-02-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:07:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22058266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dregstrash/pseuds/dregstrash, https://archiveofourown.org/users/reapersbarge/pseuds/reapersbarge, https://archiveofourown.org/users/rulingthecastleonthehill/pseuds/rulingthecastleonthehill, https://archiveofourown.org/users/wafflesandkruge/pseuds/wafflesandkruge
Summary: The Council of Tides has always seemed to be untouchable, a paragon of mystery and power. Until now. Delve into the lives of these Grisha, all forced to work together in the same small tower. They might be able to vanish into mist, but their egos and dramas sure can’t. Inspired by B99 and The Office. Written as a collective by the Council of Tides from the Grishaverse Big Bang! (dirtyhandsnet, dregstrash, looking-for-wisdom, rietveldghafa, and wafflesandkruge)
Kudos: 26
Collections: Grishaverse Big Bang 2019





	1. The One Where We Meet Everyone

In Ketterdam, a small group of powerful Tidemakers are responsible for keeping the city from falling into the sea. The Council of Tides ensures that foreign invaders are kept far from Kerch’s shores. Eight of these powerful Grisha live and work together. These are their stories. *DUN DUN*

 **Boss (Probs immortal)** : No one knows what her real name is, how old she is, where she came from- she runs the whole operation. No one really knows why, but they roll with it. It’s everyone’s favorite pastime to make wild guesses about her based on the small and bizarre anecdotes she sometimes shares. Possibly related to Shu royalty, who knows?

 **Kai (17)** : Small and bitter. An indentured grisha when he first came to Kerch from Shu Han, he caught the Council’s attention when a “mysterious” incident caused his master’s house to be swamped by a wave, despite the closest source of water being a tiny canal. No one knows who first gave him coffee, but now he’s a full blown caffeine addict. Big Kaz Brekker fanboy. Shu.

 **Jood (40? 50?)** : No one’s ever heard him speak. Ever. He’s probably the oldest, but again. No one knows anything. There’s somehow bagpipes in his room and he plays at all hours of the night, but no one has the courage to tell him to stop. Only plays depressing folk songs from The Wandering Isle. Has brought Mina to tears over how badly it is played. Kaelish.

 **Pippa (25):** Official mom friend. Very bad temper, merchers are terrified of her sinking their ships if they accidentally offend her, so there are daily gifts waiting for her at the front door. Has pet fish. Zemeni.

 **Irene (20):** Just here for the health insurance tbh. Probably has a side hustle. Side hustle is trying to earn a degree from Ketterdam University in classic literature while being a member of one of the most secretive organizations in the world. Enormous crush on Zoya Nazyalensky. Kerch.

 **Mina (16)** : The youngest of the Tides and newly recruited. Eager to learn about Kerch and desperately wanting to make friends. Boss has been heard to describe her as a bouncing puppy. Fled Ravka as a child before she could be drafted into the Second Army. Powerful, but untrained. Pippa snatched her up one day at the market when, in a fit of giggles, Mina accidentally flooded one of the canals. Ravkan.

 **Dandy (1)** : Mina’s dog. Was once tiny and easily concealed in a kefta, but is now large. Originally named Dandelion, Kai decided that was a mouthful. Mina snuck him into the tower during one of her first shifts, but his barking at ships alerted the Boss to his existence two weeks later. He is now kept in Mina’s quarters. He’s possibly an omnipotent god, but no one has tested this theory.

Puppy.

Full grown. (Saarloos Wolfdog)

 **Valentin (27)** : Desperately in love with the Boss. Will never work out, but he always hopes. One day she will probably smite him down in sheer irritation. The paper-pusher of the Tides, he is rarely called upon to do actual feats of water-wielding. Has opinions on pens. Has taken up knitting in an attempt to impress Boss with his skill, but he does so poorly that his yarn constantly tangles. Bumbling and a bit charming in his constant ineptitude, Valentin is a bigger gossip and matchmaker than the rest of the Tides combined. Currently attempting to set up Kai and Mina. Kerch.

 **Zemirah (23):** Easily distracted. Sometimes she forgets she has a job to do but she’s been around so long that no one knows how to remind her (except Boss). Claims to be psychic of sorts but whether or not it’s true all her predictions are of incredibly obscure and unimportant situations. Horrible to have in the kitchen while cooking due to her tendency to make ominous comments that make no sense at all (“Do make sure that water is fully awake. I’d hate to see the house blown to bits”). Ridiculously observant of everything but what is directed at her. She means well, but occasionally spills other people’s tea before they even know what their tea _is_. Suli.


	2. The One With the Good Boat

Irene muttered darkly to herself as she chugged her cup of coffee in record time and practically sprinted down the main staircase of the Big House. Curse Boss for being gone for that stupid royal wedding and leaving Jood in charge. He hadn’t even listened to Irene’s pleas after he assigned her the morning shift. How was she to study if she was always exhausted? And if that little rat Kai took  _ her _ boat again.

“I’m heading out!” she yelled. There was a drowsy response from someone in the parlor. Valentin, probably, suffering after drinking his sorrows away last night. He had been under the weather lately due to Boss not taking him as her plus one to the wedding. His moping was giving everyone a headache as there was hardly a day where the parlor wasn’t either stinking of cheap Ravkan wine or covered with bits of yarn from yet another failed project.

She rushed down the path that led to their little pier of boats. Then let out a shriek of frustration. Her boat, the only boat with a good seat cushion that she’d painstakingly marked with a smear of purple paint, was gone.

“KAI YUL-WANG YOU’LL REGRET THE DAY YOU WERE BORN!”

\---

Kai smirked to himself as he pulled the boat through the still waters. Irene’s threat echoed through the mist, but short of summoning a wave to capsize him, there wasn’t anything she could do. Actually...he wouldn’t put that past her. He quickly donned his mask and cloak, then waved his hand to make the boat go faster. Being dunked in the freezing waters of Ketterdam would not be a great start to the day.

\---

The next morning, Kai woke up at his normal time for a morning shift. It was still dark out and he cursed as he tripped over the crow cane he had leaning against his wall. (If anyone asked, it was a gift from Mina and not something he paid an exorbitant amount for.)

Irene also had a morning shift today and he would have to be quick if he wanted the Good Boat. He wolfed down the breakfast Pippa had prepared for him last night, then nearly smacked his head on the door frame in his rush to get out of the house. 

The boat was already gone by the time he got to the pier. He could just make out the wake it left in the water before that too was swallowed by the mist. Irene must have gotten up an hour earlier before him. He sucked in a breath, held it, then shouted the filthiest words he knew in Ravkan out into the water for Irene. 

\---

“Hey Kai.”

“Hey Mina.”

“Why are you setting up a tent on the pier?”

“Well you see…” Kai responded as he launched into his woeful tale of Irene always taking the Good Boat. He didn’t notice Mina slowly inching back towards the Big House until it was just him on the pier holding a hammer and a tin of his precious coffee. 

“Whatever,” he muttered as he crawled into his tent. “At least I’ll get the boat tomorrow.”

\---

“IRINA MARIE JANSEN!” Boss roared from the foyer. Her footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs and Irene looked around furtively for a place to hide.

Kai gave her an infuriating smirk and wiggled his eyebrows. “Ooooo. Full name. Looks like someone’s about to get their–”

“KAI YUL-WANG!”

The smirk melted off his face as they gave each other looks of pure terror. Boss arrived to the parlor, bringing the scent of the harbor with her. Kai saw Valentin sitting up straighter out of the corner of his eye. How pathetic.

“It has come to my notice that your performance has been lackluster of late,” Boss accused as she stared down Irene and Kai. They both suddenly found their shoes very interesting. Behind them, the other Tides were playing a round of cards and trying very hard to look like they weren’t eavesdropping. 

“I can explain-” Irene began, but Boss silenced her with a look.

“I know of your childish competition over the so-called ‘Good Boat,’” she continued. “It seems to be a distraction. Therefore, no one will get it.”

She clapped her hands together, and now a second later, the crack of splintering wood could be heard. Kai glanced out the window, and sure enough, the remains of his beloved best boat were sinking into the water.

“I expect optimal performances from you two.” Boss swept away. Zemirah came up from behind them.

“Nice going,” she muttered as she shouldered past them to her room. Kai could feel the glares of the other Tides aimed towards the back of his head. 

“It’s all your fault,” he hissed at Irene. They both started making their way to the kitchen, but started shoving each other as they tried to pass through the narrow door first.

“Move your dumb ass so I can get some tea,” Irene hissed back. As they struggled, Kai noticed the water from a glass on the coffee table rising. Oh, so that’s how she wanted to play. He thrust his hands out, focusing on the sink–

“ARE YOU TWO FIGHTING?” Boss yelled from the back of the house. The water sloshed back into the glass and Kai glued his arms to his sides. 

“No!” they yelled back in a perfect, fearful unison.

"And this is all _your_ fault, Kai!" whispered Irene furiously. "If you hadn't–"

A sudden rain cloud appeared over the pair of them and poured down freezing water. Boss smiled to herself in her office as Kai and Irene's shrieks reached her ears.

"Idiots," she mumbled. "That one wasn't even the good boat."


End file.
